How To Find The Right Wedding Dress For Your Special Day: Christian Siriano’s Tips

You’ve flipped through countless magazines and pinned too many pictures of wedding dresses to count, but how do you really know that you’ve found “the one”? Designer Christian Siriano offered up his expert tips that are bound to make searching for your dream dress a breeze. Read on for his tips!

While many gals can’t wait to begin the wedding dress search, once you dive in you might be surprised by how daunting the process can be. After walking into countless bridal boutiques and being asked: “What type of bride do you want to be?” I can personally relate! Many gals have always envisioned what they would look like on their special day and it can seem stressful when you are trying to pick out a style that will live on for eternity in a picture frame in your home — so, how do you find the right dress based on your personal sense of style and your body type? We chatted with talented designer Christian Siriano at the Shorty Awards in NYC on April 10, where he weighed in on the process — and since he’s gearing up for his very first bridal runway show, we couldn’t think of a better person to offer up tips! His advice will certainly save you some stress as you embark on a quest for the dress.

I’m a firm believer in the importance of paying attention to your body and not being afraid to try on a slew of silhouettes. All eyes will be on you, so you should rock something that highlights your best features and makes you feel confident, even if it isn’t the same shape you always envisioned when you dreamt about your wedding as a little girl. Yes, sometimes that means trying on a style that you never imagined wearing on your big day! From embroidery and sparkles and lace, don’t get too caught up on the design details — when you first start your search, focus on the shape of the frock. “It’s all about the silhouette. Even if you don’t think you’re a ballgown girl, try on a ballgown. Even if you don’t think you like one-shoulder, try on one-shoulder. It’s all about celebrating your best figure. If you’ve got great shoulders, show ‘em off. If you’ve got great legs, maybe you need a high-low,” Christian said.

While many brides feel pressure to look a certain way, the designer is loving just how versatile the bridal industry can be. So, what trends can we expect to see? “Everything. That’s the biggest trend! There is literally a bride who wants a simple column dress, and there’s a bride who wants to be a princess, then there’s a bride who wants to be romantic, but she wants to be edgy, it’s everything! It’s such a challenge, but it’s fun,” he admitted.

So, is there anything a bride-to-be should steer clear from? “I would avoid things that overpower your body,” he said. “If you’re a really petite girl, maybe a giant, huge train isn’t for you. It depends on the vibe.”

We’re so used to seeing Christian’s gorgeous ready-to-wear creations on the red carpet, but his bridal collection is quite new. While countless brides have tapped the designer to craft bespoke looks for their special day, he’s currently gearing up to debut his second bridal collection in his very first bridal runway show at Kleinfeld’s in NYC. So, how does his design process differ? “You can kind of do whatever you want,” he said. “There’s kind of no rules, except it has to be white, beautiful and romantic. Sometimes in fashion, there’s a lot of rules, and with bridal you get to have fun and just make fantasy clothes. It’s nice.”

Take a deep breath, throw the rule book out the window, and don’t be afraid to embrace new silhouettes and you’ll be one step closer to saying “yes” to the dress!